Astros' Josh Reddick greets Ric Flair with wrestling attire

PHOTOS: See Ric Flair on the field with the Astros and throwing out the first pitch

Ric Flair hugs Houston Astros right fielder Josh Reddick, who came out of the clubhouse wearing his Ric Flair attire during batting practice before the start of an MLB game at Minute Maid Park, Wednesday, August 21, 2019.

Browse through the photos above for more of Ric Flair at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday night ...

PHOTOS: See Ric Flair on the field with the Astros and throwing out the first pitch

Ric Flair hugs Houston Astros right fielder Josh Reddick, who came out of the clubhouse wearing his Ric Flair attire during batting practice before the start of an MLB game at Minute Maid Park, Wednesday, August 21, 2019.

Browse through the photos above for more of Ric Flair at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday night ...

Astros outfielder Josh Reddick strutted onto the field Wednesday night, wearing a blue robe and a replica of professional wrestling's "Big Gold" championship belt around his waist, and promptly gave a big hug to the man who became famous by wearing both, former wrestling champion Ric Flair.

Flair, who delivered the first pitch to Reddick prior to the game, was on hand to greet Reddick and meet with fans on the outfielder's bobblehead night. The two have been linked through Reddick's well-known affection for professional wrestling and the adaptation of Flair's "Wooooo!" holler into his hitting walk-up routine.

Reddick has been a fan of Flair, 70, since the veteran's heyday in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment, and Flair now returns the favor.

Using a line that he once applied to himself, Flair said, "Josh is married now, but before he got married, Josh Reddick would have been a kiss-stealing, wheeling-dealing, limousine-riding, jet-flying, home run-hitting Houston Astro that kissed the girls in Houston and made them cry. Wooooo!"

Unlike many of the celebrities who deliver pregame pitches, Flair and his wife, Wendy Barlow, arrived a couple of hours before the game and mingled with fans on the field while the Astros took batting practice.

"In 2017, when I was following the Astros during their run to the World Series, I was sick and unable to attend," Flair said. "So just to be here, I'm thankful for that and for the respect that Josh and the Astros have paid me."

Delivering the pregame pitch, he said, "is an honor for me. It's a blessing. It should be on everybody's bucket list."

Flair said that while preparing for Wednesday, he got his fastball up to 87 mph "and I've got a little movement on it now."

He then laughed and added, "I was being facetious. I was telling a Ric Flair story."

Flair took the field wearing an Astros jersey with his nickname "Nature Boy" and the number 16, for the number of times he has won wrestling's assorted world championships, on the back. With his ring entrance music of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" playing in the background, he walked just short of the pitcher's mound to a chorus of "Woooos!" from fans and delivered the ball on one bounce to Reddick behind the plate.